Bennington, New York
Encyclopedia
Bennington is a town
in Wyoming County
, New York
in the USA
. The population was 3,349 during the 2000 census. The town was named after Bennington, Vermont
.
Geographically, the town of Bennington is the largest in Wyoming County, occupying a significant portion of the county's northwest corner.
. The Town of Bennington officially came into existence on March 6, 1818. The name came from Bennington Vermont.
This narrative was written by Alma Janish, a former Town Historian:
"In 1802, the land of Bennington was part of the Town of Batavia, Genesee County. The in 1808, the land was taken from the Town of Batavia, to form the Town of Sheldon. Finally, on March 6, 1818, the land of Bennington was taken from Sheldon to form the Town of Bennington.
In the summer of 1802, John Tolles settled in Bennington. He settled in the area known over the years as Hubbard's Corners, Danley's Corners and the "Beehive".
The first frame barn was erected in the township by Jacob Wright in 1805.
By 1806, over twenty families were located in the town. A tannery, shoe shop and blacksmith shop were erected. By 1807, the first school house was built. A sawmill was also built in the south part of the town near the Sheldon Town line. In 1806, Chauncey Loomis purchased large tracts of land in the third and fourth ranges of the township at the price of one dollar per acre, including all the land now known as Bennington Center. During 1807, a sawmill was built in Bennington Center and the first barn raised was built from lumber produced from the mill. Also in 1807, the road from Bennington to Sheldon was cut out.
Approximately nine years after the Loomis family settled in Bennington, Quartus Clapp set out to purchase his own land further west in the town. He selected a site four miles down Cayuga Creek near a waterfall and built a sawmill in 1816 or 1818. He purchased about a hundred acres, which covered more than half of the valley of the hamlet of Cowlesville. At that time it was known as Clapp's Mills.
During 1826, Quartus Clapp built a grist mill adjoining his saw mill. This grist mill was the first of its kind in this town.
In 1827, Gaius B. Rich came from Attica and established the first store in Clapp's Mills. A young man, Hiram Cowles, clerked in this store in 1831. It was at this store that mail came once a week for the local settlers to pick up. It is believed that Hiram Cowles had a great deal to do in establishing the Post Office at Clapp's Mills, for on March 11, 1831, he was appointed Postmaster. In his honor, the settlement received the name of Cowles villes.
The hamlet of Folsomdale is three miles southwest of Bennington Center. John Fitch came to Folsomdale, built a house, set out an orchard and built a saw and grist mill, about 1823. Little is known about Fitch but his property was purchased in 1825 by David Scott. He began a mercantile and milling business in this area.
When David Scott owned the land Folsomdale is located on, the name of Scottsville was given to it. About 1831, Benjamin Folsom came to Scottsville to manage a store for Mr. Scott. In 1834-1835, Mr. Scott built a tavern. It was later owned and operated by Mr. Folsom and it was after that, the hamlet was named Folsomdale.
The first Bennington town meeting was held in home of David Farnham. The first supervisor, for the town, was George Loomis.
On January 23, 1875, a meeting was held in Cowlesville with the purpose of dividing the Township into two towns. A resolution was drawn up and presented to the Board of Supervisors. The board, with a vote of ten to five, approved the resolution to create a new town on February 25, 1875. The new township was to be "Elmont". When the request was sent to the Legislature of New York State, there was some error in proceedings and the proposal died in Albany.
Until the 1930s, town meetings were probably held in the schoolhouse at Bennington Center. In 1936, during Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidency, the Works Progress Administration, known as W.P.A., provided jobs in building projects for a long-range value. The Town of Bennington had their town hall built. The federal government furnished the cost of labor for the building. The building is still used for the Town meetings. Several other organizations also use it.
Bennington was mainly a farming community. The 1990 Wyoming County Dairy Princess was from the Town of Bennington.
The Town had several small schools. The last school to close its doors was District #17, located in Cowlesville.
The town of Bennington boasted of six covered bridges to span the Cayuga Creek. The last of the six, known as the Ellis-Chesbro covered bridge, was destroyed by fire on March 17, 1966. It was the last structure of its kind that existed in New York State west of the Finger Lakes. At one time, the Ellis-Chesbro Bridge was the location of scenes shot for MGM's motion picture "The Great Waltz".
Francis Folsom, the grand-daughter of John B. Folsom, became the First Lady of the United States. She spent much time as a young girl in Folsomdale. Frances Folsom was married to President Grover Cleveland, June 2, 1886 at the White House in Washington, D.C.
The Town of Bennington has had several churches. The first Baptist Church in Bennington Center was erected in 1832, the second in 1857 and that was destroyed by fire in 1886. It was rebuilt in 1887. BY 1925, the membership had diminished to five. The church was sold to the Cowlesville Baptist Society. They dismantled it and rebuilt it as an addition to their church.
The United Church of Christ in Bennington Center was dedicated in 1844. The Sacred Heart Catholic Church was erected at Bennington Center in 1871. The East Bennington Evangelic and United Brethren Church dates back to the early 19th century. The Catholic Church, Our Lady Help of Christians, in East Bennington was built in 1855. The Cowlesville Baptist Church was built in 1872 and an addition was added in 1924 or 1925. Cowlesville also had a Universalist Church which was dedicated in 1845. In 1914, the building was sold to the I.O.O.F. Lodge. It was eventually dismantled. The German Baptist Church was erected in 1869 at Folsomdale. There also was a Free Will Baptist Church in Folsomdale dedicated in 1858. The building was torn down in the early 20th century.
The Alma Janish narrative ends at this point. http://www.benningtonny.com/history.htm
, the town has a total area of 55.3 square miles (143.2 km²), of which, 55 square miles (142.4 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of it (0.40%) is water.
The west town line is the border of Erie County
, New York
, and the north town line is the border of Erie County and Genesee County
.
New York State Route 77
and NYS 354
(Clinton Street) cross the town. New York State Route 98
crosses the southeast corner of the town.
of 2000, there were 3,349 people, 1,208 households, and 966 families residing in the town. The population density
was 60.8 people per square mile (23.5/km²). There were 1,273 housing units at an average density of 23.1 per square mile (8.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 99.07% White, 0.06% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 0.03% from other races
, and 0.60% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.27% of the population.
There were 1,208 households out of which 34.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.6% were married couples
living together, 6.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.0% were non-families. 16.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the town the population was spread out with 24.9% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 27.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 107.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $45,448, and the median income for a family was $48,966. Males had a median income of $35,233 versus $28,292 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $18,247. About 3.4% of families and 6.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.2% of those under age 18 and 6.6% of those age 65 or over.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in Wyoming County
Wyoming County, New York
Wyoming County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. At the 2010 census, the population was 42,155. The county seat is Warsaw. The name is from a modified Delaware Indian word meaning "broad bottom lands"...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in the USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 3,349 during the 2000 census. The town was named after Bennington, Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
.
Geographically, the town of Bennington is the largest in Wyoming County, occupying a significant portion of the county's northwest corner.
History
The Town of Bennington was formed in 1818 from part of the Town of SheldonSheldon, New York
Sheldon is a town in Wyoming County, New York, United States. The population was 2,561 at the 2000 census.The Town of Sheldon is on the west border of Wyoming County. The town is southeast of Buffalo, New York.- History :...
. The Town of Bennington officially came into existence on March 6, 1818. The name came from Bennington Vermont.
This narrative was written by Alma Janish, a former Town Historian:
"In 1802, the land of Bennington was part of the Town of Batavia, Genesee County. The in 1808, the land was taken from the Town of Batavia, to form the Town of Sheldon. Finally, on March 6, 1818, the land of Bennington was taken from Sheldon to form the Town of Bennington.
In the summer of 1802, John Tolles settled in Bennington. He settled in the area known over the years as Hubbard's Corners, Danley's Corners and the "Beehive".
The first frame barn was erected in the township by Jacob Wright in 1805.
By 1806, over twenty families were located in the town. A tannery, shoe shop and blacksmith shop were erected. By 1807, the first school house was built. A sawmill was also built in the south part of the town near the Sheldon Town line. In 1806, Chauncey Loomis purchased large tracts of land in the third and fourth ranges of the township at the price of one dollar per acre, including all the land now known as Bennington Center. During 1807, a sawmill was built in Bennington Center and the first barn raised was built from lumber produced from the mill. Also in 1807, the road from Bennington to Sheldon was cut out.
Approximately nine years after the Loomis family settled in Bennington, Quartus Clapp set out to purchase his own land further west in the town. He selected a site four miles down Cayuga Creek near a waterfall and built a sawmill in 1816 or 1818. He purchased about a hundred acres, which covered more than half of the valley of the hamlet of Cowlesville. At that time it was known as Clapp's Mills.
During 1826, Quartus Clapp built a grist mill adjoining his saw mill. This grist mill was the first of its kind in this town.
In 1827, Gaius B. Rich came from Attica and established the first store in Clapp's Mills. A young man, Hiram Cowles, clerked in this store in 1831. It was at this store that mail came once a week for the local settlers to pick up. It is believed that Hiram Cowles had a great deal to do in establishing the Post Office at Clapp's Mills, for on March 11, 1831, he was appointed Postmaster. In his honor, the settlement received the name of Cowles villes.
The hamlet of Folsomdale is three miles southwest of Bennington Center. John Fitch came to Folsomdale, built a house, set out an orchard and built a saw and grist mill, about 1823. Little is known about Fitch but his property was purchased in 1825 by David Scott. He began a mercantile and milling business in this area.
When David Scott owned the land Folsomdale is located on, the name of Scottsville was given to it. About 1831, Benjamin Folsom came to Scottsville to manage a store for Mr. Scott. In 1834-1835, Mr. Scott built a tavern. It was later owned and operated by Mr. Folsom and it was after that, the hamlet was named Folsomdale.
The first Bennington town meeting was held in home of David Farnham. The first supervisor, for the town, was George Loomis.
On January 23, 1875, a meeting was held in Cowlesville with the purpose of dividing the Township into two towns. A resolution was drawn up and presented to the Board of Supervisors. The board, with a vote of ten to five, approved the resolution to create a new town on February 25, 1875. The new township was to be "Elmont". When the request was sent to the Legislature of New York State, there was some error in proceedings and the proposal died in Albany.
Until the 1930s, town meetings were probably held in the schoolhouse at Bennington Center. In 1936, during Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidency, the Works Progress Administration, known as W.P.A., provided jobs in building projects for a long-range value. The Town of Bennington had their town hall built. The federal government furnished the cost of labor for the building. The building is still used for the Town meetings. Several other organizations also use it.
Bennington was mainly a farming community. The 1990 Wyoming County Dairy Princess was from the Town of Bennington.
The Town had several small schools. The last school to close its doors was District #17, located in Cowlesville.
The town of Bennington boasted of six covered bridges to span the Cayuga Creek. The last of the six, known as the Ellis-Chesbro covered bridge, was destroyed by fire on March 17, 1966. It was the last structure of its kind that existed in New York State west of the Finger Lakes. At one time, the Ellis-Chesbro Bridge was the location of scenes shot for MGM's motion picture "The Great Waltz".
Francis Folsom, the grand-daughter of John B. Folsom, became the First Lady of the United States. She spent much time as a young girl in Folsomdale. Frances Folsom was married to President Grover Cleveland, June 2, 1886 at the White House in Washington, D.C.
The Town of Bennington has had several churches. The first Baptist Church in Bennington Center was erected in 1832, the second in 1857 and that was destroyed by fire in 1886. It was rebuilt in 1887. BY 1925, the membership had diminished to five. The church was sold to the Cowlesville Baptist Society. They dismantled it and rebuilt it as an addition to their church.
The United Church of Christ in Bennington Center was dedicated in 1844. The Sacred Heart Catholic Church was erected at Bennington Center in 1871. The East Bennington Evangelic and United Brethren Church dates back to the early 19th century. The Catholic Church, Our Lady Help of Christians, in East Bennington was built in 1855. The Cowlesville Baptist Church was built in 1872 and an addition was added in 1924 or 1925. Cowlesville also had a Universalist Church which was dedicated in 1845. In 1914, the building was sold to the I.O.O.F. Lodge. It was eventually dismantled. The German Baptist Church was erected in 1869 at Folsomdale. There also was a Free Will Baptist Church in Folsomdale dedicated in 1858. The building was torn down in the early 20th century.
The Alma Janish narrative ends at this point. http://www.benningtonny.com/history.htm
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 55.3 square miles (143.2 km²), of which, 55 square miles (142.4 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of it (0.40%) is water.
The west town line is the border of Erie County
Erie County, New York
Erie County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 919,040. The county seat is Buffalo. The county's name comes from Lake Erie, which in turn comes from the Erie tribe of American Indians who lived south and east of the lake before 1654.Erie...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, and the north town line is the border of Erie County and Genesee County
Genesee County, New York
Genesee County is a county located in Western New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 60,079. Its name is from the Seneca Indian word Gen-nis'-hee-yo meaning "The Beautiful Valley." Its county seat is Batavia.- History :...
.
New York State Route 77
New York State Route 77
New York State Route 77 is a north–south state highway in the western part of New York in the United States. The highway runs for across mostly rural areas from an intersection with NY 78 and NY 98 in the Wyoming County town of Java to a junction with NY 31 near the city of...
and NYS 354
New York State Route 354
New York State Route 354 is a state highway in New York, USA. NY 354 is one of several highways radiating eastward from its western terminus in downtown Buffalo, New York. The east terminus of NY 354 is in the Village of Attica, where it ends at NY 98 and NY 238 as West...
(Clinton Street) cross the town. New York State Route 98
New York State Route 98
New York State Route 98 is a state highway in the western part of New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with U.S. Route 219 in the town of Great Valley in Cattaraugus County...
crosses the southeast corner of the town.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 3,349 people, 1,208 households, and 966 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 60.8 people per square mile (23.5/km²). There were 1,273 housing units at an average density of 23.1 per square mile (8.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 99.07% White, 0.06% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 0.03% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.60% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.27% of the population.
There were 1,208 households out of which 34.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.6% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 6.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.0% were non-families. 16.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the town the population was spread out with 24.9% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 27.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 107.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $45,448, and the median income for a family was $48,966. Males had a median income of $35,233 versus $28,292 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $18,247. About 3.4% of families and 6.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.2% of those under age 18 and 6.6% of those age 65 or over.
Communities and locations in Bennington
- Bennington Center (or Bennington) – A hamletHamlet (place)A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
at Routes 77 and 354. - Cowlesville – A hamlet in the northwest part of town on Route 354. (ZIP codeZIP CodeZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
14037) - Folsomdale – A hamlet south of Route 354 on Folsomdale Road.
- Schoellkopf Scout Reservation – A camp south of Route 354 on Burrough Road owned by the Greater Niagara Frontier Council Boy Scouts of America.